


I Knew You’d Linger Like A Tattoo Kiss

by jenniferxprentiss



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: 5+1, F/F, First Kisses, Fluff, Mutual Pining, protect these babies at all costs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26023762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenniferxprentiss/pseuds/jenniferxprentiss
Summary: 5 times JJ kissed Alex Blake, and one time Alex kissed JJ.—————The first time JJ kisses Blake, she catches her totally off guard. They’re settled together on the jet and JJ lets her head fall against Blake’s shoulder. Even though she’s showered, JJ can still smell the lake water faintly on her hair. She glances up and catches the tears in Blake’s eyes. Before she realizes what she’s doing, JJ brings her lips to Alex’s. She’s totally surprised when Alex kisses her back.
Relationships: Alex Blake/Jennifer "JJ" Jareau
Comments: 11
Kudos: 37





	1. on the jet

**Author's Note:**

> okokokok so here’s a 5+1 fic because I’m a slut for these
> 
> hope u all love it, lemme know what you think xoxo

It seemed like hours before Alex finally joined everyone on the jet, hair damp and eyes sad. The team went silent, offering her small half smiles or looks of pity as she silently made her way to the seat beside JJ, eyes downcast and trained on her sock clad feet. 

Of everything she had packed in her go bag, she had forgotten a change of shoes. 

The police department let her use their shower, and for that she was grateful. She was able to knock the worst of the mud and grime out of her hair and skin, but she could still smell it — still smell the stench of stagnant water burning in her nose. Her eyes watered again and she willed herself to stop, to swallow past the lump of tears and find her seat away from the sad eyes of their teammates. 

JJ smiled gently at her, feeling a pang of something in her chest that she couldn’t quite place. When Alex fell into the water, she held her breath until she saw bubbles surface, heart thudding in her chest, but nothing compared to that sweet relief when she trudged out of the water. She had collapsed to her knees with one hand on her chest, ears ringing as the adrenaline crashed, eyes on Alex the entire time. 

“You okay?”

“Could be better.” Alex smiled gently, kicking her feet up and placing them on the seat opposite her. “Thanks for having my back out there today.” 

JJ could see the unshed tears in Blake’s eyes, could tell by the way she blinked for a little too long and exhaled shakily. She moved her hand to rest on Alex’s thigh, felt the heat radiating through her pants and smiled because fuck, she was alive — she was okay. 

“You don’t have to thank me.” 

They fell into a comfortable silence, both staring out the window contentedly. JJ could practically see Alex’s mind at work, chewing on her bottom lip and eyes darting back and forth, presumably reading the warning sticker on the window repeatedly. 

In the time she had been on the team — the time she had been JJ’s friend — she had absorbed every detail of the other woman. She reminded JJ so much of Emily, from the little mannerisms to the way her lips quirked up when she was trying not to laugh in Hotch’s face, that she couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Alex. 

When she had been in that water, it felt like an eternity, and JJ felt the heart clenching, breath stopping fear overtake her in a way she had only felt once before — with Emily. She tried not to dwell on it… tried not to think about Emily in Paris all alone, without the team, the only family she had ever known. 

JJ sighed, feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes as her mind raced. She grasped at Alex’s thigh in an attempt to ground herself, startled when she felt a soft, tentative hand rest atop hers. She smiled, blinked away the tears before looking at Alex, mouthing a purposeful, silent thank you. 

She wasn’t nearly as touchy as Emily was, physical contact being something she usually reserved for tipsy nights on the couch or long, firm hugs before they parted. JJ felt her heart leap, smile grow a little wider and more genuine at the thought. 

“Are you alright?” Alex’s voice was calming, like a wave JJ wanted to throw herself into. 

It was funny, that voices and tones never meant much to her before, but after the profiling classes she had taken, JJ was absolutely enamored with inflection and diction. The edges of her lips tugged upwards in the smallest ghost of a smile, eyes falling to Alex’s lips momentarily before focusing back on the clouds through the window. 

“Yeah, just thinking.” She paused for a moment, swallowed and collected her thoughts. “I thought I lost you. Just like I thought… just like I lost Emily.” 

Alex nodded slowly, eyes trained on her hand, still settled atop JJ’s. She took in the stark absence of both of their rings — hers, a wedding band she hadn’t worn in years, and for JJ, an engagement ring that she knew had existed but had never actually seen. 

“And you were scared you’d lose me too? The way you did Emily?” 

JJ nodded slowly, wanted to tell Alex so badly that Emily was alive and okay and safe, but she couldn’t. She chewed at her bottom lip, smirked when she noticed she was staring at the warning sticker on the window as Alex had been just a few moments prior. 

“Yeah, and I don’t want to lose you, okay?” 

“You won’t. Not as long as I have anything to do with it.” 

JJ shook her head, laughing softly before letting her head fall to Alex’s shoulder. She turned her hand palm up, fingers tickling at the palm of Alex’s hand in a silent question — was this okay? Should she move? 

The only response was a soft, content sounding sigh from Alex, cheek resting on the top of JJ’s head and hand grasping at hers, their fingers entwining. She squeezed — so hard that JJ thought she was going to lose feeling in her hand — before letting go, a shaky exhale that could only have come with tears. 

She could smell the remnants of stagnant water in Alex’s hair, made a mental note to ask her to go home with her —to help her, to take care of her, knowing that James wouldn’t be there. He never was. Through the murky watery smell mixed with what had to be a travel bottle of hotel shampoo, JJ felt her heart soar at the scent that was so undeniably Alex. 

The scent she left on JJ’s couch and blankets and borrowed sweaters, that dissipated over a few days and made her pout. 

JJ could feel the shaky breaths exhaled out into her hair, the way Alex tried to hide her sobs in the back of her throat, and felt her heart shatter. She could feel the fear and relief radiating off of the other woman in waves, so strong and so fearful at the same time — not knowing if the unsub was dead or alive — knew it would haunt Alex’s nightmares longer than she cared to admit, no matter how many times she said she was okay. 

Without thinking, JJ sat up and out of Alex’s hold, hand snaking out from under hers and coming up to cup her face. She brushed her thumb over her cheek, pushing away the tears and sadness and offering her a gentle, watery smile, feeling her own tears well up. 

She was so consumed with emotion — they both were — that JJ was surprised to feel herself drifting towards Alex like there was a gravitational pull. Her eyes darted down to her lips, reddened and puffy from having been chewed and bitten, before licking her own lips and leaning forward. 

When their lips made connection, they both exhaled, JJ’s eyes slipping shut. There was so much going through their heads, but nothing needed said, their touch conveying everything they felt. 

Alex was surprised to feel her hand move to the back of JJ’s head, pulling her closer as their lips moved against each other’s. She tasted of cherry chapstick and mint, and her lips were so soft and smooth in comparison to Alex’s bitten, chapped skin. She felt herself getting lost in JJ’s touch, in the way her tongue traced against her lips and thumb stroked at her cheek. 

A loud catcall from across the jet had them jumping apart, blushing madly at the laughter coming from the men on the other side of the jet. 

“JJ and Blake, sitting in a tree…” 

“Shut the fuck up, Spencer.” JJ rolled her eyes, pulling her blanket from the seat across from hers and unfolding it over her and Alex’s laps, trying to busy herself in an attempt to hide the crimson flush that was now covering her face and chest. 

She let her hand find Alex’s under the blanket, fingers running along the inside of her wrist in a quest for permission, just like she had done to Emily so many times. JJ waited for a moment, smiled brightly when she felt Alex grasp her hand once again, fingers interlocking in a way that, to JJ, was more than friendly. 

“Thank you.” Alex whispered, low enough for only JJ to hear. 

There was a soft smile on her face, cheeks a rosy pink that only accentuated the way her eyes were shining. 

JJ wasn’t sure what she was being thanked for, but nodded anyways, letting her head settle back into the crook of Alex’s neck. She felt her eyes growing heavy, taking longer and longer to open back up as she tried to fight the sleep that was quickly overtaking her as she felt the all too familiar adrenaline crash. 

She was vaguely aware of Alex brushing back the stray blonde hair strewn across her forehead before pressing a gentle kiss to the skin there. JJ could feel the way Alex’s lips curved into a smile against her skin, too tired to let out any reaction but a small hum of appreciation. 

“Sweet dreams. We can talk when we get back to Quantico.”


	2. In A Hotel Lobby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second time JJ kisses Alex in front of the team, they’re in a hotel lobby winding down after a long case. Their relationship is fairly new, and while they shared a hotel room together on most cases, the team often forgot about their budding romance — they tried to keep it as professional as they could. JJ looks up from her phone and notices Alex — the way her glasses are slipping down her nose and her hair is falling out of her messy bun — before leaning across the table, finger hooking under Alex’s chin and pressing their lips together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh look I resurrected this series from the figurative fic graveyard! hope u enjoy!!

The case had wrapped up earlier than expected, the unsub behind bars and paperwork finished before dinner time — a welcome change, especially given the downtime they would have before they flew home in the morning. Instead of sitting in their hotel rooms, the team was spread across the lobby engrossed in various activities waiting for their pizza to arrive. 

JJ was sitting in an armchair across from Alex, a small table between them filled with cups of coffee that had long since gone cold and a bag of gummy bears — a guilty pleasure treat she and Alex both loved. The lobby was buzzing with murmurs of conversation, but nothing she could really decipher. 

Reid and Morgan were playing a card game that was too confusing for the rest of the team — too many rules they didn’t feel like expending the energy to learn —but JJ enjoyed watching the way Spencer’s eyes lit up behind his shaggy hair for just a second every time Morgan deliberately played a card that would give Reid an advantage. She could hear the faint murmur of Rossi’s voice, glanced over as he was gesturing something to Hotch, miming a bowl and mixing. Shaking her head, she let out a breathy laugh, knew it had something to do with cooking — Rossi’s only passion other than cigars and his job. 

She looked down at her phone again, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips upwards when she received a text from Penelope with an innuendo about her and Blake and sharing a room — thank the tech goddess for the hotel mysteriously having a king sized bed available for them instead of two doubles. JJ laughed softly before looking across the table at Alex, breath catching in her throat. 

The sight of Alex out of her typical work clothes — slacks, a blouse, and blazer that was often accented with her Kevlar vest — was enough to steal the air from JJ’s lungs. She was stunning in a way that JJ had never noticed before, relaxed and unguarded. She smiled a little wider, breathed a bit deeper, laughed a touch louder, and JJ felt so lucky to get to see this side of her — glasses on, wearing an oversized sweatshirt and leggings paired with a pair of ugg boots that JJ would have never imagined the other woman owning. 

Her hair was gathered haphazardly in a messy bun, strands already having slipped free from the hair tie they were constrained in and framing her face. Every few seconds she blew a sharp puff of air through her pursed lips, blowing the lock of hair out of her vision before it promptly fell into her line of sight again. 

JJ laughed softly, a low chuckle rumbling in her chest as she watched Alex exhale again, eyes crossing in her glasses as she stared at the stubborn lock of hair. She stood, leaning over the table carefully before brushing the hair out of Alex’s face, fingers gentle as she tucked the strand back up into the bun atop her head before sitting back down, a soft, shy smile playing on her lips. 

The room fell silent aside from the low chatter from the television and ruffling sound coming from the table opposite them as Morgan idly shuffled the deck of cards in his hand. The rest of the team was staring at them, Spencer’s mouth agape as his eyes darted between JJ and Alex. 

“What?” There was a soft blush coloring JJ’s cheeks, and she knew without looking that Alex’s face was a bright red color. 

“That — you — what’s going on?” He was sputtering his words out, eyes wide and filled with a confused glint. “You never let anyone touch you!” 

Everyone knew that statement was directed at Alex, having always been one to shy away from physical contact from anyone who wasn’t JJ. Their love language was acts of service and physical touch, but no one on the team would know it if they didn’t watch them carefully — watched the way JJ’s fingertips grazed Alex’s elbow before they stormed a house, or saw how Alex would protectively guide JJ behind her in a dangerous situation. 

Alex cleared her throat, looking up over the thick dark frames of her glasses before smiling gently in JJ’s direction. Her knees were tucked up into her sweatshirt and JJ felt her heart flutter at the sight, at the way the book was nearly dwarfed in all of the extra material gathered in her lap. 

“I don’t mind being touched when it’s Jennifer.” 

The simple affirmation made JJ blush once more, eyes downcast and pretending to be engrossed in her phone again as she tried to avoid any other questions. It occurred to her that other than Hotch, Rossi, and Penelope, the rest of the team had no clue they were even together, let alone carrying on a relationship behind closed doors. She didn’t want to push Alex into something she didn’t want to do — not when she wasn’t ready — and there was no need for it to affect their work life anyways. 

Alex’s answer seemed to appease Spencer, who shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Morgan and their card game. After a few moments, the room returned to its normal rumble of conversation, Hotch laughing loudly as Rossi dramatically re-enacted how one of his dishes burnt traumatically in the oven moments before a dinner party — it was one that JJ could recognize and found herself laughing at, even though she could only make out every few words of the story. 

She looked back at Alex, already back to being engrossed in her novel, eyes darting across the pages as she was sucked into the fictional world of Jane Eyre. She had told JJ one night — cuddled together under a hotel blanket staring into the darkness, unable to sleep because of the horrors they had seen that day — that it was one of her favorite novels, always able to drift away to the world of Edward Fairfax Rochester. 

Her ugg boots were kicked off, feet adorning mismatched polka dotted socks that made JJ’s heart flutter. Alex’s toes wiggled as she read, mouth silently moving, breathing out each word as her eyes flicked across the page. It was endearing to JJ, watching the way she read and absorbed herself in the fictional world — periodically glancing up at JJ with a slightly dazed gleam in her eyes that she could only attribute to being so engrossed in her novel. 

After a moment, she looked across the table at JJ, lips twitching up in a soft smile. It was almost shy, having felt JJ’s gaze directed towards her, felt like it was burning a hole in the top of her head. 

“Whatever are you looking at, Jennifer?” 

“You.” 

JJ’s lips were curved up in a goofy smile, tongue peeking out between her lips. She studied Alex’s form a little longer — a little more carefully — took in the way her hands were dwarfed by the sheer size of her sleeves, the way her knees tucked up into her sweatshirt and mismatched socked toes wiggling. 

She stood, leaned across the table until her nose was brushing Alex’s, hooked her finger under the older woman’s chin and gently nudged her upwards until their eyes locked. JJ pressed her lips against Alex’s, humming gently against her lips and let her hand move to cup her cheek, thumb rubbing against her skin as she felt Alex grin against her lips. 

After a moment, JJ pulled back and settled in her seat again, fully aware that the rest of the team was staring at them. In that moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care, only focused on the way Alex’s lips curved up in a goofy smile, eyes gleaming with a playful glint. 

“What was that for?” 

“Just because. You can go back to reading your book now.”


	3. you’re my golden hour (the color of my sky)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third time JJ kisses Alex in front of the team, they’re enjoying a rare day off at the carnival. JJ can’t keep her eyes off of Alex all day, and as the sun begins to set behind the clouds, casting them in a pink glow, JJ can’t resist insisting they go on the Ferris wheel just once. They’re quiet as they ride, JJ’s head leaned on Alex’s shoulder until they reach the top of the ride, both looking at the flashing lights below them as the sun disappears, giving way to a vibrant pink. In that moment, regardless of who was watching, JJ couldn’t help herself, leaned up and pressed her lips against Alex’s as the ride began to slowly descend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! I debated posting this as a stand-alone oneshot because there is SO MUCH hotchniss/BAU content, and I think I’m going to do exactly that — BUT, I wanted to leave this in here as a chapter because it *does* move the plot of this kiss story to where I’m wanting it to go, which was bringing back Emily and addressing Alex’s husband. 
> 
> anyways — hope u enjoy!!

It was rare that the team was allowed any time off aside from weekends when they were in town, let alone a weekday to do something as simple as going to a carnival. Strauss had pulled some strings for Emily’s return to the BAU, classified it as team bonding when she informed them of their time off and told them not to stay up too late, they had work to do the next day. 

They hadn’t considered a carnival until Emily and Alex had admitted to the team that they had never been to one — sitting around the conference table with the rest of the team staring at them in various states of confusion because really, who had never been to a carnival? Garcia immediately decided that there would be no other acceptable team bonding activity, and luckily for them they were right on time for the last day of the carnival. 

JJ had always loved fall carnivals, loved the way the crisp autumn air blew the fallen orange leaves around her feet as she walked, the way it felt and sounded like magic as every footfall brought the crunching of leaves underfoot. She felt a goofy grin pull at the corners of her lips, her hand firmly in Alex’s as they walked leisurely along the pavement, watching Henry as he walked ahead of them. 

There was a giddy happiness that coursed through her at getting to take Alex to her first carnival, JJ still smiling at the memory of watching her eyes light up as they drove into the parking lot. They were older, with children and previous marriages — a slow-moving divorce, in Alex’s case — and they didn’t have much room for firsts, and JJ knew this would be a memory they both held dear to them for years to come. 

“He looks like he’s having fun.” 

JJ could hear the subtle smile in Alex’s voice, breaking her from her thoughts. She squeezed her hand before looking up and watching Henry race Emily off to a ring toss game. He had missed his Aunt Em so much, the sight of him running off with her to go play brought the familiar lump of tears to the back of her throat. 

“I knew he would. He missed her so much… I’m glad he can have today before we go back to normal life.” She laughed when Emily ruffled Jack and Henry’s hair, looked over at Alex pointedly. “And you? Are you having fun?” 

“As long as I’m with you.” 

Her answer was sincere, her tone even and measured but she knew that JJ would understand the true vulnerability behind it. She so rarely let her guard down around other people, especially after her separation from James, but somehow JJ was always able to pull her from the hidden recesses of her mind and get her laughing. 

They continued walking in silence, JJ motioning to Hotch that she was veering off towards a stand, nodding when he signaled that he had eyes on Henry. She tugged Alex towards the cotton candy stand, felt her heart flutter when she noticed the soft grin on her girlfriend’s face out of the corner of her eye. 

“I’m gonna go grab a bench for us.” Alex’s voice was soft, chilled fingertips grazing the palm of JJ’s hand. “Make sure you get the pink.” 

Their relationship had never been built on grand gestures, rather small acts of kindness and words of affirmation uttered behind closed doors — the gentle whisper of words uttered against lips, the way Alex glanced at JJ in front of the team with eyes so full of love that they held a message. She didn’t need Alex to say anything at all — knew her better than the back of her own hand. 

She shuffled up in line, eyes still trained on Alex as she sat on a bench, one leg folded over the other and hands in her lap. The sight melted JJ’s heart, the way Alex’s cream colored sweater contrasted her dark hair that hung over her shoulder in a loose ponytail, tied with a ribbon. She was so preoccupied watching Alex that she didn’t notice the man behind the counter clear his throat, calling her up to the stall. 

“Oh, I’m sorry… let me get two of the pink and blue over there.”

He grunted, took her money before disappearing for a moment, rummaging in a corner JJ couldn’t quite see. She blew a kiss in Alex’s direction, felt her stomach flip with giddy butterflies when Alex mimed catching it, a goofy grin on her face. She turned back at just the right moment, the man thrusting her change and bags of cotton candy into her hand before mumbling a gruff thanks, already yelling for the next customer to come forward. 

JJ remembered that Alex told her she loved cotton candy as a child, the way it melted on the tip of her tongue, felt her lips twitching up into a smile at the thought. She remembered the night they stayed up together long before their relationship had shifted to one laced with romantic intonation, both of them curled under a stiff hotel blanket and whispering silly secrets into the dark — both unable to sleep after they found yet another victim, this one hitting a little too close to home. She drank in every little detail of Alex in those nights, the soft side of her she never let show until the lights were turned out. 

“What’s up?” Alex’s voice was soft, fingers grazing her forearm gently in a way that broke JJ from her thoughts. 

“Nothing… just thinking.” 

“Oh, that’s dangerous.” There was a playful lilt to Alex’s voice, lips curling up into a small smile as JJ sat beside her on the bench. 

They were content to sit away from the action for a moment, just to watch the people go by. JJ watched Emily and Hotch, smiled to herself when she saw just how happy they were chasing after Jack and Henry. Emily was laughing — unrestrained, the kind of booming laughter JJ missed so much while she had been gone — her head tilted back and eyes sparkling as she reached for Hotch’s hand. He took it, pulled Emily into him and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before they pulled apart to help the boys with the water gun game they were playing, Emily’s hands on Henry’s smaller ones as she guided him. 

With a soft smile on her lips, JJ brought a bite of cotton candy up to Alex’s mouth. Her lips wrapped around JJ’s fingers, corners of her lips twitching up into a smile as her tongue darted out to lave across the skin, collecting any small bits of sugar that were left. They soaked up the bit of silence amidst the chaos, before the kids or the team would come running and pull them away to another ride. 

“Tastes good.”

“Yeah? I know how much you like pink.” 

She couldn’t help but gaze into Alex’s eyes, the way they crinkled up in the corners as a wide smile spread across her face. Her eyes flicked up to meet JJ’s, sparkling with a hint of bashfulness behind her doe eyed gaze. 

“Not just the candy.” 

“Hm?” 

“You.” 

JJ felt her heart speed up at the tone of Alex’s voice, the way it was subtly playful — fingers catching her wrist gently and guiding JJ’s hand to bring another bite of cotton candy to her mouth. It was in these rare moments of calm with her — just sitting with each other and watching the world move around them — that JJ saw a more permanent future with Alex by her side. 

In that moment, JJ saw lazy Sunday mornings around the breakfast table with Henry as a teenager, stuffing food into his mouth before running out the door to catch up with whatever friend he was going to hang out with for the day. She could see movie nights curled up on the couch as an older Henry rolled his eyes at the way his mother was laid across Alex’s lap. There were visions of Christmases spent together — building gingerbread houses with Alex, a dollop of dried icing on her cheek as they sang along to Christmas carols — and long walks down the street admiring the autumn leaves. 

The sun had begun to disappear behind the clouds, setting rapidly into a pinkish orange glow and giving way to a chilled breeze. She turned, eyes catching Alex’s face in just the right light and felt her heart clench for just a second. She looked at peace — face relaxed and free of the worry lines that were almost permanently etched into her face — eyes trained on JJ’s side profile with a small hint of a smile playing on her lips. 

“Hey.” They both startled when Emily approached, her voice soft and eyes kind. “Henry and Jack fell asleep, Rossi has them. A bunch of us were going to hop on the ferris wheel to watch the sunset… you in?” 

“Sorry, I was just thinking.” JJ looked over at Alex, the way her eyes twinkled a little extra when Emily mentioned watching the sun set on the ferris wheel. “Yeah, we’ll be right there.” 

“Hotch is saving us a place in line. Let’s ditch this shit with Rossi before they’re too far up in line.” 

They half jogged over to the ferris wheel, Alex’s hand firmly in JJ’s, delightfully short of breath as a giddy wave of butterflies settled their way into her stomach. She had never been with someone who made her so lovestruck, made her feel like the little emoticon with heart eyes that JJ used so often — she wanted to drink in every second of the feeling, to never forget the fluttery happiness she felt in that moment. 

“Nervous?” 

“Sort of. I’ve never been on one before.” 

“I’ll hold your hand the entire time.” 

Alex smiled, a genuine grin directed at JJ, before turning back to look at the ferris wheel again, taller than she imagined one would be in person. The lights were on now, flashing and changing so rapidly that it made her eyes burn but she couldn’t look away. It was intoxicating — not just the wheel and lights, but the carnival itself. The ambient chatter in the background, hundreds of hushed conversations mingling with music and announcers yelling over the crowds brought a soft smile to her face, head quirking to the side as she tried to pick out any definitive sounds in the crowd. 

She was pulled forward by JJ, the line moving again as another couple stepped into their seats and the worker started the ride up again. In front of them, Emily was arguing with Reid and Garcia about who got to go on first, Alex and JJ both laughing out loud at the way she was waving her arms around and trying to prove her point. In her defense, she had been dead and exiled to Paris after the trauma of Doyle — and in Spencer’s, she had left him behind and didn’t even say goodbye. 

“Hey, I thought we agreed to not bring that up again.” JJ’s tone was firm, eyes narrowing at Emily in particular who mumbled out an embarrassed apology. 

“How about you rock paper scissors for it?” 

“I like the way you think.” 

JJ stretched up on her toes, placed a soft kiss to Alex’s cheek before turning her attention back to Spencer and Emily, who were engaged in another bickering war. She shook her head, squeezing Alex’s hand gently in a sign of love — something they had adopted when they were still trying to keep their relationship a secret in front of the team, a simple gesture to say they loved each other. 

By the time the ride operator opened the gate, Emily had declared herself the winner, but stepped aside and ushered Spencer forward with a sheepish smile on her face. The sight made JJ laugh, the way she walked back over to Hotch and let him wrap his arms around her from behind — having had no intention of actually making Spencer wait to get on the ride, not after she watched him buzz with excitement the entire time they had been in line. 

He pulled Derek and Penelope through the gate with him, an uncharacteristically giddy smile tugging his lips upward and making the corners of his eyes crease with the sheer force of his unrestrained joy. JJ felt her lips quirk up into a smile of her own at the way both Derek and Penelope protested riding all together, but eventually let Spencer drag them onto the bench, all squeezing together as the ride operator clicked the bar down and started the ride again. 

“He really has them wrapped around his finger, doesn’t he?” 

JJ let out a small chuckle at Alex’s words, nodded as she watched the trio move up on the ride, all of them laughing and joking together. 

“You say that like you wouldn’t move heaven and earth for that man.” 

“He reminds me of my son… almost as much as Henry does.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. He had nine good years… and what is it they say about found family?” 

They were interrupted once again by the metallic clang of the gate opening, Hotch and Emily sauntering hand in hand over to the ride car. They sat, Hotch’s arm around Emily’s shoulder and her head tucked into the crook of his neck as the ride started up again, and JJ felt herself swell with happiness at the way Hotch’s coat was around Emily, essentially dwarfing her in the material. 

“They make a good couple.” 

“Oh, yeah. I knew it would happen… especially once she went to Paris and there were no technicalities of the job keeping them from their feelings. He thinks I don’t know he was flying out to see her once a month.” 

“He didn’t think Emily would tell you?” 

“I think he was too in love with her to care what I thought.” 

Alex made a soft sound of understanding, knowing the feeling all too well. When they had gotten together, in the early days of their relationship outside of falling into bed together for ‘stress relief’ on hard cases, she didn’t care if she lost her job — if she had to quit to just be with JJ on the off chance that it would work out — she felt such a strong pull to the other woman. Thankfully, the HR department was more than okay with their relationship — especially so after Emily came back engaged to Hotch — but it had always stuck at the back of her mind, exactly how much JJ meant to her. 

“I love you too much to care.” 

The words were laced with an intonation that made JJ’s head quirk to the side in question, wondered exactly what Alex meant and knew it wasn’t the place to ask — not with the way her voice was so soft, eyes soft and filled with such a fierce love that it made her head spin. To be loved so much was almost intoxicating, and she gave Alex’s hand another squeeze as the gate opened for them. 

They sat perched on the edge of the bench seat, JJ’s head resting comfortably on Alex’s chest as the ride began to move, cranking them up into the night sky. The sky was a brilliant pink now, both of them transfixed by the sight, still entwined in more than a simple clasp of hands, but fingers laced together in a sign of love. 

She loves me. She completely, wholly loves me. 

JJ caught herself looking upwards for a second, a warm happiness filling her chest as she watched Emily lean into Hotch’s kiss, her hand on his stubbly cheek. It felt like she was watching a private moment, the way she leaned into him with so much love and adoration that it was almost too much to handle. 

“Alex?” 

“Hm?” 

“I love you completely, wholly.” 

“And I, you, my darling.” She paused for a moment, looked out at the carnival below them and back to JJ, a twinkle in her eyes. “Thank you… for bringing me here.” 

They were paused at the top of the ride now, passengers disembarking their ride car below and giving them just enough time to look out at the view — the pink sky that cast them in the perfect glow, and accompanied with the lights and sounds of the carnival, it almost felt like they were in a movie. 

“I’m honored.” 

There was a gravely sincerity to JJ’s voice, and Alex knew she didn’t just mean it in regards to the carnival. It was an honor to love her — to share her dinner table with her, to share a bed with her while away on cases or the rare night that they could stay over at the other’s home. 

“Jennifer…” 

Their breath hitched, JJ leaning forward and letting her free hand cup the back of Alex’s neck, pulling them together and pressing their lips against each other. It was as though time was standing still for them, the shrill laughter of children and the music from the carnival below them fading into nothing but background noise — nothing mattered but the press of their lips, the way one simple action held so much love and tenderness. 

When they finally broke apart, both gasping for air, the ride jolted to a start again, their car descending. They could hear the shrill laughter of Spencer and Penelope, no doubt at something Morgan had told them — looked down and noticed Emily and Hotch cuddled against each other, her shoulders shaking in a silent cry as he held her, rubbed his hand in circles on her upper back. 

“I wish we could stay here forever.” 

“Hm?” JJ looked up again, felt herself melt when she gazed into Alex’s eyes. “Oh, me too. Aside from the chill… I’m starting to regret my wardrobe choice.” 

With a soft laugh, one lacking the ‘I told you so’ she so desperately wanted to say, Alex wrapped her arm around JJ’s back, pulling her girlfriend into her and pressing a soft kiss to her hair. She let herself simply be in the moment, let herself be aware of every point of contact between her and JJ — from the way her hand connected with her shoulder right down to their knees bumping against each other — as she watched the carnival lights come closer and closer as they descended, knew that when they stepped off the ride they would be back to the chaos they both secretly loved so much. 

“Jayje?”

“Mhmm?” 

“I think I’m ready to ask him for a divorce.”

It was a ghost of a whisper uttered into the chilled evening air as their car came to a stop at the loading station — a statement so full of hope and love that it made JJ’s stomach flip. She didn’t dare mention it in front of the rest of the team who was already waiting for them at the exit gate — simply turned to Alex and pressed her lips against hers once more before exiting through the gate and joining the team again, a soft, proud little smile on her lips that she knew she wouldn’t be able to shake for the rest of the night.


End file.
